Dalian to Antwerp shipping route.

The shipping route from Dalian, China to Antwerp, Belgium covers 10,977 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 8,291 km apart, so the ship sails 2.45 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 38.1 days at 12 knots, 32.7 days at 14 knots and 25.4 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 43 to 76 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 48 sailings by 8 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Panama Canal instead. That route is 13,564 nautical miles, 2,587 more, and adds about 7.7 days at 14 knots. Longer voyages burn more fuel and tie up more ships, which is why freight rates on Red Sea lanes jumped when the diversions started.

2,333 nm of the route, 21% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA and Mediterranean Sea ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.

Recent freight rates for CNDLC to BEANR start at $1,800 for a 20GP and $3,000 for a 40GP. These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Antwerp (BEANR) carriers give about 5 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 63 port to port routes from Dalian in this directory, Antwerp is the 55th shortest. Closer destinations include London Gateway (10,926 nm), Felixstowe (10,924 nm) and Le Havre (10,798 nm).